Holocephali
| The subclass Holocephali ("complete heads") is a taxon of cartilaginous fish, of which the order Chimaeriformes is the only surviving group.
Holocephali has an extensive fossil record that starts during the Devonian period. However, most fossils are teeth, and the body forms of numerous species are not known, or at best, poorly understood. It includes the rat fishes (e.g., Chimaera), rabbit-fishes (e.g., Hydrolagus) and elephant-fishes (Callorhynchus). They preserve today some features of elasmobranch life in Paleaozoic times, though in other respects they are aberrant. They live close to the bottom and feed on molluscs and other invertebrates. The tail is long and thin and they move by sweeping movements of the large pectoral fins. There is an erectile spine in front of the dorsal fin, sometimes poisonous. There is no stomach (that is, the gut is simplified and the 'stomach' is merged with the intestine), and the mouth is a small aperture surrounded by lips, giving the head a parrot-like appearance. For more information visit the Wikipedia Entry Get back to cartilaginous fishes | ||||
| †Sarcoprion | †Helicoprion | †Edestus | †Echinochimaera | Silver chimaera |
